New system of mixed steel-concrete structures for construction

The mixed steel-concrete structures that are used to construct buildings normally develop faults due to separation or slipping between the steel and concrete. That is why a team of researchers led by Miquel Ferrer and Frederic Marimón, from the Research Group in Structures and Mechanics of Materials of the Department of Strength of Materials and Structural Engineering (RMEE), has patented a new system of connection between steel and concrete that consists of generating a repeated series of small, numerous rough projections from the steel element, produced by punching.The aim is to apply the new system, which has been marketed for mixed flagstones, to mixed pillars. The project is designed to show the efficacy and viability of mass production of the system applied to mixed cylindrical pillars to improve the load capacity and the structure’s fire resistance.

All project activities are carried out in collaboration with the project mentor and main potential client of this technology, the R&D and standardization department of ArcelorMittal, Tubular Products Europe in Luxemburg.

The project has been awarded funding in the fourth call of the Knowledge Industry Programme promoted by the Government of Catalonia’s Secretariat for Universities and Research, in the Product phase, designed to obtain prototypes and for the valorization and transfer of research results.